Memory system and method of controlling nonvolatile memory with checking a total size indicative of a sum of data length specified by a write command

ABSTRACT

According to one embodiment, a memory system checks a first total size indicative of a sum of data lengths specified by first write commands stored in a first submission queue of a host corresponding to a first stream. When the first total size is greater than or equal to a minimum write size, the memory system fetches a set of first write commands stored in the first submission queue, transfers first write data associated with the set of first write commands from a memory of the host to the memory system, and writes the first write data into a first write destination block allocated for the first stream.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority fromJapanese Patent Application No. 2019-155810, filed Aug. 28, 2019, theentire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD

Embodiments described herein relate generally to a technique forcontrolling a nonvolatile memory.

BACKGROUND

In recent years, memory systems comprising nonvolatile memories havebecome widespread. As one of the memory systems, a solid-state drive(SSD) based on NAND flash technology has been known.

The SSD has been used as a storage device for various host computingsystems such as the server of a data center.

A storage device used in a host computing system may be required towrite different types of data into different write destination blocks.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the relationship between a hostand a memory system according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of thememory system according to the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating the relationship between aplurality of channels and a plurality of NAND flash memory chips used inthe memory system according to the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a superblock used in the memory system according to the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating a stream write operation whichwrites a plurality of types of write data associated with a plurality ofstreams into a plurality of write destination blocks corresponding tothe streams, respectively.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating an operation for allocating aplurality of write destination blocks correspond to a plurality ofstreams from a group of free blocks.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a plurality of submission queuescorresponding to a plurality of write destination blocks, respectively.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a writecontrol unit provided in the memory system and a write process performedin the memory system according to the embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating the relationship between memoryresources in the host and memory resources in the memory systemaccording to the embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a plurality of submission queuesallocated in the memory of the host for storing a plurality of types ofwrite commands corresponding to a plurality of streams.

FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating the state transition of a submissionqueue and the state transition of a completion queue.

FIG. 12 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration examples ofthe host and the memory system according to the embodiment with regardto data write.

FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating each message exchanged between thehost and the memory system according to the embodiment.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure of a write processperformed in the memory system according to the embodiment.

FIG. 15 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure of a process performedin the host.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Various embodiments will be described hereinafter with reference to theaccompanying drawings.

In general, according to one embodiment, a memory system connectable toa host comprises a nonvolatile memory including a plurality of blocks,and a controller electrically connected to the nonvolatile memory andconfigured to control the nonvolatile memory.

The controller is configured check a first total size indicative of asum of data lengths specified by first write commands and a second totalsize indicative of a sum of data lengths specified by second writecommands, the first write commands being associated with a first streamand stored in a first submission queue of the host corresponding to thefirst stream, and the second write commands being associated with asecond stream and stored in a second submission queue of the hostcorresponding to the second stream.

When the first total size is greater than or equal to a minimum writesize of the nonvolatile memory, the controller fetches a set of firstwrite commands stored in the first submission queue, transfers firstwrite data having the minimum write size and associated with the set offirst write commands from a write buffer in a memory of the host to afirst buffer in the memory system, and writes the first write data intoa first write destination block which is allocated for the first streamfrom the blocks.

When the second total size is greater than or equal to the minimum writesize, the controller fetches a set of second write commands stored inthe second submission queue, transfers second write data having theminimum write size and associated with the set of second write commandsfrom the write buffer to the first buffer, and writes the second writedata into a second write destination block which is allocated for thesecond stream from the blocks.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the relationship between a hostand a memory system according to an embodiment.

The memory system is a semiconductor storage device configured to writedata into a nonvolatile memory and read data from the nonvolatilememory. The memory system is realized as a solid-state drive (SSD) 3based on NAND flash technology.

The host (host device) 2 is configured to control a plurality of SSDs 3.The host 2 is realized by an information processing apparatus configuredto use a flash array including the plurality of SSDs 3 as storage. Theinformation processing apparatus may be a personal computer or a servercomputer.

Each SSD 3 may be utilized as one of a plurality of storage devicesprovided in a storage array. The storage array may be connected to aninformation processing apparatus such as a server computer via a cableor a network. The storage array includes a controller which controls thestorage devices (for example, the SSDs 3) in the storage array. When theSSDs 3 are applied to the storage array, the controller of the storagearray may function as the host of the SSDs 3.

Hereinafter, this specification exemplarily explains a case where aninformation processing device such as a server computer functions as thehost 2.

The host (server) 2 and a plurality of SSDs 3 are interconnected(internally interconnected) via an interface 50. As the interface 50 forinterconnection, for example, a PCI Express (PCIe) (registeredtrademark), NVM Express (NVMe) (registered trademark), Ethernet(registered trademark) or NVMe over Fabrics (NVMeOF) may be used.However, it should be noted that the interface 50 is not limited tothese examples.

A typical example of the server computer which functions as the host 2is a server computer (hereinafter, referred to as a server) in a datacenter.

In a case where the host 2 is realized by a server in a data center, thehost (server) 2 may be connected to a plurality of end user terminals(clients) 61 via a network 60. The host 2 is capable of providing theend user terminals 61 with various services.

Examples of the services provided by the host (server) 2 include, forexample, (1) a Platform as a Service (PaaS), which provides each client(end user terminal 61) with a system running platform, and (2) anInfrastructure as a Service (IaaS), which provides each client (end userterminal 61) with an infrastructure such as a virtual server.

A plurality of virtual machines may be run on the physical server whichfunctions as the host (server) 2. Each of the virtual machines runningon the host (server) 2 is capable of functioning as a virtual serverconfigured to provide a client (end user terminal 61) corresponding tothe virtual machine with various services. In each virtual machine, anoperating system and a user application used by a corresponding end user61 are executed. An operating system corresponding to each virtualmachine includes an I/O service. The I/O service may be a logical blockaddress (LBA)-based block I/O service or a key-value store service.

In an operating system corresponding to each virtual machine, the I/Oservice issues an I/O command (write command or read command) inresponse to a write/read request from the user application. The I/Ocommand is placed into a submission queue in the host 2 and transmittedto the SSD 3 via the submission queue.

Each SSD 3 includes a nonvolatile memory such as a NAND flash memory.The SSD 3 supports stream write for writing a plurality of types ofwrite data associated with different streams into different blocks,respectively. The SSD 3 allocates a plurality of write destinationblocks corresponding to a plurality of streams, from a plurality ofblocks in the nonvolatile memory. The write destination blocks refer tothe blocks into which data should be written.

Each write command transmitted from the host 2 to the SSDs 3 includes astream identifier (stream ID) indicative of one of a plurality ofstreams. When an SSD 3 receives a write command including the stream IDof a stream from the host 2, the SSD 3 writes write data associated withthe write command into a write destination block corresponding to thestream. When the SSD 3 receives a write command including the stream IDof another stream from the host 2, the SSD 3 writes write dataassociated with the write command into another write destination blockcorresponding to the other stream. When a write destination blockcorresponding to a certain stream is fully filled with data, a new writedestination block for the stream is allocated.

Thus, the host 2 is capable of realizing, for example, data placementfor writing a group of a specific type of data such as the data of auser application corresponding to an end user terminal 61 (client) intoone or more specific blocks and writing a group of another specific typeof data such as the data of a user application corresponding to anotherend user terminal 61 (client) into another or other blocks by issuingwrite commands each including a stream ID to the SSDs 3.

FIG. 2 illustrates a configuration example of the SSD 3.

The SSD 3 comprises a controller 4 and a nonvolatile memory (NAND flashmemory) 5. The SSD 3 may comprise a random access memory such as a DRAM6.

The NAND flash memory 5 includes a memory cell array including aplurality of memory cells arrayed in matrix. The NAND flash memory 5 maybe either a NAND flash memory comprising a two-dimensional structure ora NAND flash memory comprising a three-dimensional structure.

The memory cell array of the NAND flash memory 5 includes a plurality ofblocks BLK0 to BLKm−1. Each of blocks BLK0 to BLKm−1 includes aplurality of pages (here, pages P0 to Pn−1). Blocks BLK0 to BLKm−1function as erase units. The blocks may be called erase blocks, physicalblocks or physical erase blocks. Pages P0 to Pn−1 are the units of datawrite operation and data read operation.

The controller 4 is electrically connected to the NAND flash memory 5which is a nonvolatile memory via a NAND interface 13 such as a ToggleNAND flash interface or an open NAND flash interface (ONFI). Thecontroller 4 operates as a memory controller configured to control theNAND flash memory 5. The controller 4 may be realized by a circuit suchas a System-on-a-chip (SoC).

As shown in FIG. 3, the NAND flash memory 5 may include a plurality ofNAND flash memory chips (NAND flash memory dies). Each NAND flash memorychip is independently operable. Thus, the NAND flash memory chipsfunction as parallel operable units. FIG. 3 illustrates a case where 16channels Ch.1 to Ch.16 are connected to the NAND interface 13, and twoNAND flash memory chips are connected to each of 16 channels Ch.1 toCh.16. In this case, 16 NAND flash memory chips #1 to #16 connected tochannels Ch.1 to Ch.16 may be organized as bank #0. The remaining 16NAND flash memory chips #17 to #32 connected to channels Ch.1 to Ch.16may be organized as bank #1. The banks function as the units of causinga plurality of memory modules to operate in parallel by bankinterleaving. In the configuration example of FIG. 3, the paralleloperation of up to 32 NAND flash memory chips is realized by 16 channelsand bank interleaving with two banks.

Erase operation may be performed in units of block (physical block) orin units of parallel unit (super block) including a set of physicalblocks which are operable in parallel. Each parallel unit, in otherwords, each superblock including a set of physical blocks, may include32 physical blocks in total selected from NAND flash memory chips #1 to#32 one by one although the configuration is not limited to thisexample. Each of NAND flash memory chips #1 to #32 may comprise amulti-plane structure. For example, when each of NAND flash memory chips#1 to #32 comprises a multi-plane structure including two planes, eachsuper block may include 64 physical blocks in total selected one by onefrom 64 planes corresponding to NAND flash memory chips #1 to #32.

FIG. 4 illustrates a single super block SB including 32 physical blocks(here, physical block BLK2 in NAND flash memory chip #1, physical blockBLK3 in NAND flash memory chip #2, physical block BLK7 in NAND flashmemory chip #3, physical block BLK4 in NAND flash memory chip #4,physical block BLK6 in NAND flash memory chip #5, . . . , physical blockBLK3 in NAND flash memory chip #32).

The write destination block may be either a single physical block or asingle super block. Each superblock may include only one physical block.In this case, a single super block is equivalent to a single physicalblock.

Now, this specification explains the configuration of the controller 4of FIG. 2.

The controller 4 may function as a flash translation layer (FTL)configured to perform the data management and the block management ofthe NAND flash memory 5. The data management performed by the FTLincludes, for example, (1) the management of mapping informationindicative of the correspondence relationships between logical addressesand the physical addresses of the NAND flash memory 5, and (2) a processfor hiding the restriction of the NAND flash memory 5 (for example,read/write operation in page units and erase operation in block units).The logical addresses are the addresses used by the host 2 to specifythe addresses of the locations in the logical address space of the SSD3. As the logical addresses, logical block addresses (addressing) (LBAs)may be used.

The management of mapping between the local addresses used by the host 2to access the SSD 3 and the physical addresses of the NAND flash memory5 is performed by using an address translation table(logical-to-physical address translation table: L2P table) 31. Thecontroller 4 manages mapping between logical addresses and physicaladdresses in predetermined management size units, using the L2P table31. A physical address corresponding to a logical address is indicativeof the latest physical storage location in which data corresponding tothe logical address is written in the NAND flash memory 5. The L2P table31 may be loaded from the NAND flash memory 5 into the DRAM 6 when theSSD 3 is powered on.

In the NAND flash memory 5, data can be written into a page only onceper erase cycle. In other words, a region in a block in which data hasbeen already written cannot be directly overwritten with new data. Forthis reason, when data which has been already written is updated, thecontroller 4 writes new data into a region in which no data is writtenin the block (or another block), and deals with previous data as invaliddata. In other words, the controller 4 writes updated data correspondingto a logical address into a physical storage location different from thephysical storage location in which previous data corresponding to thelogical address is stored. The controller 4 updates the L2P table 31,associates the logical address with the physical storage location inwhich the updated data is written, and invalidates the previous data. Inthe present embodiment, the L2P table 31 may be updated after the datato be written (write data) is written into the NAND flash memory 5, orafter write data is transferred from the host 2, or after a writecommand is received from the host 2.

The block management includes, for example, the management of defectiveblocks, wear leveling and garbage collection (GC). Wear leveling is theoperation for leveling the number of rewrites (the number ofprogram/erase cycles) of blocks.

GC is the operation for increasing the number of free blocks. The freeblocks are indicative of blocks which do not contain valid data. In GC,the controller 4 copies the valid data of some blocks which contain bothvalid data and invalid data to another block (for example, free block).Here, valid data is indicative of data associated with a logicaladdress. For example, data referred to from the L2P table 31 (in otherwords, data associated as the latest data from a logical address) isvalid data, and may be read from the host 2. Invalid data is indicativeof data which is not associated with any logical address. Data which isnot associated with any logical address is data which no longer has apossibility that the data is read from the host 2. The controller 4updates the L2P table 31 and maps the logical addresses of the copiedvalid data to the copy destination physical addresses, respectively.Each block containing only invalid data as valid data has been copied toanother block is released as a free block. In this way, these blocksbecome available again after erase operation is applied to the blocks.

The controller 4 includes a host interface 11, a CPU 12, the NANDinterface 13, a DRAM interface 14, a direct memory access controller(DMAC) 15, an internal buffer 16, an ECC encode/decode unit 17, etc. Thehost interface 11, the CPU 12, the NAND interface 13, the DRAM interface14, the DMAC 15, the internal buffer 16 and the ECC encode/decode unit17 are interconnected via a bus 10.

The host interface 11 is a host interface circuit configured to performcommunication with the host 2. The host interface 11 may be, forexample, a PCIe controller (NVMe controller). When the SSD 3 isconnected to the host 2 via Ethernet (registered trademark), the hostinterface 11 may be an NVMe over Fabrics (NVMeOF) controller.

The host interface 11 receives various commands from the host 2. Thesecommands include a write command, a read command, a deallocation(unmap/trim) command and other various commands.

A write command is a command (write request) for writing the data to bewritten (write data) into the NAND flash memory 5, and includes thelogical address (starting LBA) of the write data, the length of thewrite data, a stream identifier (stream ID) indicative of the streamassociated with the write data, a data pointer (buffer address)indicative of the location in the write buffer in the memory of the host2 in which the write data is stored, etc.

A read command is a command (read request) for reading data from theNAND flash memory 5, and includes the logical address (starting LBA) ofthe data to be read, the length of the data, a data pointer (bufferaddress) indicative of the location in the read buffer in the memory ofthe host 2 to which the data should be transferred.

A deallocation (unmap/trim) command is a command for invalidating datacorresponding to a logical address. A deallocation (unmap/trim) commandspecifies the logical address range (LBA range) to be invalidated.

The CPU 12 is a processor configured to control the host interface 11,the NAND interface 13 and the DRAM interface 14. The CPU 12 performsvarious processes by loading a control program (firmware) into the DRAM6 from the NAND flash memory 5 or a ROM (not shown) when the SSD 3 ispowered on, and executing the firmware. The firmware may be loaded intoan SRAM (not shown) provided in the controller 4. The CPU 12 is capableof performing a command process for executing various commands from thehost 2, etc. The operation of the CPU 12 is controlled by the abovefirmware. A command process may be partially or entirely performed bydedicated hardware in the controller 4.

The CPU 12 is capable of functioning as a write control unit 21 and aread control unit 22. Each of the write control unit 21 and the readcontrol unit 22 may be partially or entirely realized by dedicatedhardware in the controller 4.

In accordance with a write command received from the host 2, the writecontrol unit 21 performs a process for writing write data associatedwith the write command into the NAND flash memory 5. The write controlunit 21 supports the above stream write operation. The write controlunit 21 allocates a plurality of write destination blocks correspondingto a plurality of streams from a plurality of blocks of the NAND flashmemory 5, and manages the allocated write destination blocks.

In some NAND flash memories, to reduce program disturbance, data writtenin one of the pages in a block becomes readable after data is writteninto one or more subsequent pages. The time point at which the data ofeach page becomes readable differs depending on the writing methodapplied to the NAND flash memory.

For example, in a triple-level cell (TLC) flash memory, which can store3 bits of data per memory cell, a lower page, a middle page and an upperpage are allocated to the memory cells connected to word line WL0, and alower page, a middle page and an upper page are allocated to the memorycells connected to the next word line WL1, and a lower page, a middlepage and an upper page are allocated to the memory cells connected tothe next word line WL2, and a lower page, a middle page and an upperpage are allocated to the memory cells connected to the next word lineWL3, and a lower page, a middle page and an upper page are allocated tothe memory cells connected to the last word line WLn. In the memorycells connected to each word line, data cannot be correctly read fromeach of the lower and middle pages until write operation for the upperpage is completed.

In a NAND flash memory, the page write order indicative of the order ofpages necessary for writing data into each block is defined. Forexample, in a TLC flash memory, to prevent an effect caused by programdisturbance, the page write order is defined such that write operationis applied to some neighboring word lines in turn.

For example, write operation is performed in the write order of writeinto the lower page of WL0, write into the lower page of WL1, write intothe middle page of WL0, write into the lower page of WL2, write into themiddle page of WL1, write into the upper page of WL0, write into thelower page of WL3, write into the middle page of WL2 and write into theupper page of WL1. In this way, the data written in one of the pages ofa block becomes readable after data is written into some subsequentpages.

The write control unit 21 receives each write command from the host 2,and performs a write process for writing write data associated with eachwrite command into the NAND flash memory 5. The write process includes(1) an address allocation operation for allocating the physical addressto the write data, the physical address being indicative of the storagelocation in the NAND flash memory 5 into which write data should bewritten to the write data, (2) a data transfer operation fortransferring the write data from the write buffer in the memory of thehost 2, (3) a flash write operation (program operation) for writing thewrite data transferred from the write buffer in the memory of the host 2into a write destination block, (4) an L2P update operation for updatingthe L2P table 31 such that the physical address allocated to the writedata is associated with the logical address of the write data, etc.

In the present embodiment, as described above, the write control unit 21supports the stream write operation for writing write data associatedwith different streams into different write destination blocks. As eachwrite command received from the host 2 includes a stream ID, the writecontrol unit 21 is capable of identifying a stream with which write dataassociated with each write command is associated.

In a host computing system such as the server of a data center, tosupport a large number of end users, the realization of an SSD allowedto use a large number of streams may be required.

However, if a configuration in which write data is transferred from thehost 2 to the buffer in the SSD 3 every time a write command is receivedfrom the host 2 is used, the capacity of the buffer in the SSD needs tobe large. Thus, it is necessary to prepare memory resources such as alarge-capacity DRAM in the SSD 3. The cost of the SSD 3 will beincreased.

In the present embodiment, the write control unit 21 performs thefollowing write process to reduce required memory resources.

In the present embodiment, a plurality of submission queuescorresponding to a plurality of streams are allocated in the memory ofthe host 2. Each submission queue is an I/O submission queue used forissuing a write command for writing write data associated with a streamcorresponding to the submission queue to the SSD 3.

For example, each write command corresponding to the write data to beassociated with a first stream is placed into a first submission queuecorresponding to the first stream by the host 2. For example, each writecommand corresponding to the write data to be associated with a secondstream is placed into a second submission queue corresponding to thesecond stream by the host 2.

The write control unit 21 checks a first total size indicative of thesum of the data lengths specified by the write commands stored in thefirst submission queue and associated with the first stream, and asecond total size indicative of the sum of the data lengths specified bythe write commands stored in the second submission queue and associatedwith the second stream.

In this case, the write control unit 21 checks the first total size andthe second total size by checking the contents of the first submissionqueue and the second submission queue in a state where each writecommand is left in the first submission queue and the second submissionqueue. As each submission queue comprises a data structure allocated inthe memory of the host 2, the write control unit 21 is capable ofchecking the contents of the first submission queue and the secondsubmission queue by read-accessing the data structure in the memory ofthe host 2.

The write control unit 21 determines whether or not the first total sizeis greater than or equal to the minimum write size of the NAND flashmemory 5. The minimum write size of the NAND flash memory 5 may be apage size, in other words, the size (for example, 16 kilobytes) of onepage. In a case where a NAND flash memory chip including two planes isused for the NAND flash memory 5, write operation may be performed inparallel for two blocks selected from the two planes, respectively. Inthis case, a size (for example, 32 kilobytes) twice the page size may beused as the minimum write size of the NAND flash memory 5.

The minimum length of the write data specified by each write command is,for example, 4 kilobytes (or 512 bytes). Thus, the minimum write size ofthe NAND flash memory 5 is greater than the minimum size of the writedata specified by each write command.

Until write commands equivalent to the minimum write size areaccumulated in the first submission queue, the write control unit 21does not fetch these write commands from the first submission queue.Even if these write commands are fetched, write operation for the NANDflash memory 5 cannot be started.

When a write command has been fetched, until the process fortransferring write data corresponding to the write command from thewrite buffer in the memory of the host 2 to the internal buffer 16 iscompleted, the write command needs to be maintained in the memory (theDRAM 6 or SRAM) in the controller 4. Thus, as the number of streams usedsimultaneously is increased, a large amount of memory resources isneeded to maintain each write command which has been already fetched andwhose write cannot be started.

When the first total size is greater than or equal to the minimum writesize of the NAND flash memory 5 by accumulating some subsequent writecommands corresponding to the first stream in the first submissionqueue, the write control unit 21 fetches a set of write commands storedin the first submission queue. Based on the fetched set of writecommands, the write control unit 21 transfers write data having theminimum write size and associated with the set of write commands fromthe write buffer in the memory of the host 2 to the internal buffer 16.As the write data transferred to the internal buffer 16 has the minimumwrite size, the write control unit 21 is capable of immediately writingthe write data into the write destination block allocated for the firststream.

Similarly, until write commands equivalent to the minimum write size areaccumulated in the second submission queue, the write control unit 21does not fetch these write commands from the second submission queue.

When the second total size is greater than or equal to the minimum writesize of the NAND flash memory 5 by accumulating some subsequent writecommands corresponding to the second stream in the second submissionqueue, the write control unit 21 fetches a set of write commands storedin the second submission queue. Based on the fetched set of writecommands, the write control unit 21 transfers write data having theminimum write size and associated with the set of write commands fromthe write buffer in the memory of the host 2 to the internal buffer 16.As the write data transferred to the internal buffer 16 has the minimumwrite size, the write control unit 21 is capable of immediately writingthe write data into the write destination block allocated for the secondstream.

The read control unit 22 receives a read command from the host 2 andreads the data specified by the received read command from the NANDflash memory 5.

The NAND interface 13 is a memory control circuit configured to controlthe NAND flash memory 5 under the control of the CPU 12.

The DRAM interface 14 is a DRAM control circuit configured to controlthe DRAM 6 under the control of the CPU 12. A part of the storage regionof the DRAM 6 may be used as the storage region of the L2P table 31.Another part of the storage region of the DRAM 6 may be used to store asubmission queue (SQ)/total size management table 32. The SQ/total sizemanagement table 32 is management information which manages thecorrespondence relationship between queue identifiers identifying aplurality of submission queues and total sizes corresponding to thesubmission queues. For example, regarding a submission queuecorresponding to a certain stream, the total size is indicative of thesum of the data lengths (the lengths of write data) specified by thewrite commands stored in this submission queue.

The DMAC 15 performs data transfer between the memory of the host 2 andthe internal buffer 16 under the control of the CPU 12. When write datashould be transferred from the write buffer in the memory of the host 2to the internal buffer 16, the CPU 12 specifies the transfer sourceaddress indicative of the location on the write buffer in the memory ofthe host 2, the data size and the transfer destination addressindicative of the location on the internal buffer 16 with respect to theDMAC 15.

When data should be written into the NAND flash memory 5, the ECCencode/decode unit 17 encodes (ECC-encodes) data (the data to bewritten), thereby adding an error correction code (ECC) to the data as aredundancy code. When data is read from the NAND flash memory 5, the ECCencode/decode unit 17 performs the error correction of the data(ECC-decoding), using the ECC added to the read data.

FIG. 5 illustrates a stream write operation for writing a plurality oftypes of write data associated with a plurality of streams into aplurality of write destination blocks corresponding to a plurality ofstreams, respectively.

FIG. 5 illustrates the following case. Write destination block BLK10 isassociated with the stream of stream ID #1. Write destination blockBLK20 is associated with the stream of stream ID #2. Write destinationblock BLK30 is associated with the stream of stream ID #3. Writedestination block BLK40 is associated with the stream of stream ID #4.Write destination block BLK50 is associated with the stream of stream ID#5. Write destination block BLK60 is associated with the stream ofstream ID #6. Write destination block BLK100 is associated with thestream of stream ID #n.

For example, an I/O service (virtual machine #1) corresponding to enduser #1 issues write commands each including stream ID #1. An I/Oservice (virtual machine #2) corresponding to end user #2 issues writecommands each including stream ID #2. An I/O service (virtual machine#n) corresponding to end user #n issues write commands each includingstream ID #n.

The write data associated with a write command including stream ID #1 iswritten into write destination block BLK10. The write data associatedwith a write command including stream ID #2 is written into writedestination block BLK20. The write data associated with a write commandincluding stream ID #n is written into write destination block BLK100.

FIG. 6 illustrates the operation of allocating a plurality of writedestination blocks corresponding to a plurality of streams from a freeblock group.

FIG. 6 illustrates, to simplify the figure, only two streams,specifically, the stream (stream #1) of stream ID #1 and the stream(stream #2) of stream ID #2.

The state of each block in the NAND flash memory 5 is roughlycategorized into an active block in which valid data is stored and afree block in which valid data is not stored. Each block categorized asan active block is managed by a list referred to as an active blockpool. Each block categorized as a free block is managed by a listreferred to as a free block pool. Active block pool 101-1 is a list ofblocks which store valid data associated with stream #1. Active blockpool 101-n is a list of blocks which store valid data associated withstream #n. A free block pool 200 is a list of all free blocks. Thesefree blocks are shared by a plurality of streams.

The controller 4 receives a set of write commands associated with thestream of stream ID #1 via a submission queue corresponding to thestream of stream ID #1. When the controller 4 receives the set of writecommands, the controller 4 determines whether or not a write destinationblock (opened block) for stream #1 has been already allocated.

When a write destination block for stream #1 has not been allocated yet,the controller 4 allocates one of the free blocks of the free block pool200 as a write destination block for stream #1. FIG. 6 illustrates acase where block BLK10 is allocated as a write destination block forstream #1. The controller 4 writes write data associated with each writecommand (each write command including stream ID #1) associated with thestream of stream ID #1 into block BLK10. When a write destination blockfor stream #1 has been already allocated, the controller 4 does not needto perform the operation of allocating a free block as a writedestination block for stream #1.

When the write destination block (here, BLK10) for stream #1 is fullyfilled with write data from the host 2, the controller 4 manages(closes) write destination block BLK10 by active block pool 101-1 andallocates a free block of the free block pool 200 as a new writedestination block (opened block) for stream #1.

When all valid data in a block in active block pool 101-1 is invalidatedby data update, deallocation (unmapping, trimming), garbage collection,etc., the controller 4 moves the block to the free block pool 200 andcauses the block to transition to a state where the block is availableas a write destination block again.

The controller 4 receives a set of write commands associated with thestream of stream ID #n via a submission queue corresponding to thestream of stream ID #n. When the controller 4 receives the set of writecommands, the controller 4 determines whether or not a write destinationblock (opened block) for stream #n has been already allocated.

When a write destination block for stream #n has not been allocated yet,the controller 4 allocates one of the free blocks of the free block pool200 as a write destination block for stream #n. FIG. 6 illustrates acase where block BLK100 is allocated as a write destination block forstream #n. The controller 4 writes write data associated with each writecommand (each write command including stream ID #n) associated with thestream of stream ID #n into block BLK100. When a write destination blockfor stream #n has been already allocated, the controller 4 does not needto perform the operation of allocating a free block as a writedestination block for stream #n.

When the write destination block (here, BLK100) for stream #n is fullyfilled with write data from the host 2, the controller 4 manages(closes) write destination block BLK100 by active block pool 101-n andallocates a free block of the free block pool 200 as a new writedestination block (opened block) for stream #n.

When all valid data in a block in active block pool 101-n is invalidatedby data update, deallocation (unmapping, trimming), garbage collection,etc., the controller 4 moves the block to the free block pool 200 andcauses the block to transition to a state where the block is availableas a write destination block again.

FIG. 7 illustrates a plurality of submission queues corresponding to aplurality of write destination blocks, respectively.

In the present embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 7, dedicatedsubmission queues SQ #1 to SQ #n corresponding to a plurality of streams#1 to #n (a plurality of write destination blocks), respectively, areallocated in the memory of the host 2. Each of submission queues SQ #1to SQ #n may be realized by a circular buffer (circular queue). Thequeue depth of each of submission queues SQ #1 to SQ #n (the number ofentries of each queue) is greater than a quotient obtained by dividingthe minimum write size of the NAND flash memory 5 by the minimum lengthof the write data specified by each write command.

Each of submission queues SQ #1 to SQ #n is controlled by twocorresponding pointers (a next pointer and an entrance pointer).

The next pointer corresponds to a submission queue head pointer havingthe NVMe specification. The entrance pointer corresponds to a submissionqueue tail pointer having the NVMe specification. The entrance pointeris a pointer to indicate the entry in the submission queue in which thenext command should be placed. The value of the entrance pointer isupdated by the host 2. The next pointer is a pointer indicative of theentry in the submission queue from which the next command should befetched. The value of the next pointer is updated by the controller 4 ofthe SSD 3.

In each submission queue, the write of a write command into thesubmission queue and the read of a write command from the submissionqueue are performed by a first-in first-out method.

Submission queue SQ #1 is an I/O submission queue dedicated to stream#1, and is allocated in the memory of the host 2 to store each writecommand corresponding to the write data to be associated with stream #1.Submission queue SQ #1 is used to issue each write command associatedwith stream #1 to the controller 4. In other words, all the writecommands for write destination block BLK10 for stream #1 (all the writecommands corresponding to the write data to be associated with stream#1) are placed in submission queue SQ #1 by host software.

In each of submission queues SQ #1 to SQ #n, fine diagonal hatchinglines are indicative of a group of entries (slots) in which writecommands during write are stored, and rough diagonal hatching lines areindicative of a group of entries (slots) in which write commands in waitfor write are stored, and blanks are indicative of a group of entries(slots) in a free state in which a write command is not stored.

FIG. 7 illustrates a case where, in submission queue SQ #1, writecommands W1 to W14 corresponding to the write data to be associated withstream #1 are accumulated in submission queue SQ #1. The sum of the datalengths specified by write commands W1 to W5 is greater than or equal tothe minimum write size.

When the controller 4 detects the sum of the data lengths specified bywrite commands W1 to W5 is greater than or equal to the minimum writesize, the controller 4 starts a write process corresponding to a set ofwrite commands W1 to W5 by processing the set of write commands W1 toW5. In this case, the controller 4 fetches write commands W1 to W5stored in submission queue SQ #1, transfers the write data associatedwith the set of write commands W1 to W5 and having the minimum writesize from the write buffer in the memory of the host 2 to the internalbuffer 16, and writes the write data into write destination block BLK10.

FIG. 7 illustrates a case where, in submission queue SQ #2, writecommands W21 to W34 corresponding to the write data to be associatedwith stream #2 are accumulated in submission queue SQ #2. When thecontroller 4 detects that the sum of the data lengths specified by writecommands W21 to W25 is greater than or equal to the minimum write size,the controller 4 starts a write process corresponding to a set of writecommands W21 to W25 by processing the set of write commands W21 to W25.In this case, the controller 4 fetches write commands W21 to W25 storedin submission queue SQ #2, transfers the write data associated with theset of write commands W21 to W25 and having the minimum write size fromthe write buffer in the memory of the host 2 to the internal buffer 16,and writes the write data into write destination block BLK20.

FIG. 7 illustrates a case where, in submission queue SQ #3, writecommands W41 to W54 corresponding to the write data to be associatedwith stream #3 are accumulated in submission queue SQ #3. When thecontroller 4 detects that the sum of the data lengths specified by writecommands W41 to W45 is greater than or equal to the minimum write size,the controller 4 starts a write process corresponding to a set of writecommands W41 to W45 by processing the set of write commands W41 to W45.In this case, the controller 4 fetches write commands W41 to W45 storedin submission queue SQ #3, transfers the write data associated with theset of write commands W41 to W45 and having the minimum write size fromthe write buffer in the memory of the host 2 to the internal buffer 16,and writes the write data into write destination block BLK30.

FIG. 7 illustrates a case where, in submission queue SQ #4, writecommands W61 to W74 corresponding to the write data to be associatedwith stream #4 are accumulated in submission queue SQ #4. When thecontroller 4 detects that the sum of the data lengths specified by writecommands W61 to W65 is greater than or equal to the minimum write size,the controller 4 starts a write process corresponding to a set of writecommands W61 to W65 by processing the set of write commands W61 to W65.In this case, the controller 4 fetches write commands W61 to W65 storedin submission queue SQ #4, transfers the write data associated with theset of write commands W61 to W65 and having the minimum write size fromthe write buffer in the memory of the host 2 to the internal buffer 16,and writes the write data into write destination block BLK40.

FIG. 7 illustrates a case where, in submission queue SQ #n, writecommands W81 to W94 corresponding to the write data to be associatedwith stream #n are accumulated in submission queue SQ #n. When thecontroller 4 detects that the sum of the data lengths specified by writecommands W81 to W85 is greater than or equal to the minimum write size,the controller 4 starts a write process corresponding to a set of writecommands W81 to W85 by processing the set of write commands W81 to W85.In this case, the controller 4 fetches write commands W81 to W85 storedin submission queue SQ #n, transfers the write data associated with theset of write commands W81 to W85 and having the minimum write size fromthe write buffer in the memory of the host 2 to the internal buffer 16,and writes the write data into write destination block BLK100.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of the writecontrol unit 21 and a write process performed in the SSD 3.

The write control unit 21 includes a command parser 21A and a flashwrite sequencer 21B. The command parser 21A performs a prefetch process,a fetch process, a command interpretation process, a next pointer updateprocess, etc.

In the prefetch process, total sizes corresponding to submission queuesSQ #1 to SQ #n are checked, and the SQ/total size management table 32 isupdated based on the result of the check. In a fetch process, one ormore write commands are fetched from a submission queue SQ. In a commandinterpretation process, the content of each fetched write command isinterpreted. In a next pointer update process, the host 2 is notified ofthe submission queue entry in which a fetched write command is stored(the last fetched submission queue entry) by updating the value of thenext pointer. In this way, the host 2 is capable of reusing the lastfetched submission queue entry for storing a new write command.

The flash write sequencer 21B controls a write sequence for writing datainto the NAND flash memory 5. A write sequence includes a data transferoperation for transferring write data from the write buffer in thememory of the host 2 to the internal buffer 16 using the DMAC 15, aflash write operation (program operation) for writing write data into awrite destination block and the operation of returning a response(completion response) indicative of the completion of a write command tothe host 2. Since a plurality of write destination blocks aresimultaneously opened, the flash write sequencer 21B may adjust thetiming of a write sequence corresponding to each write destination blocksuch that a write sequence for writing data having the minimum writesize into a write destination block and a write sequence for writingdata having the minimum write size into another write destination blockare performed in a pipeline manner.

When the host 2 places one or more new write commands corresponding tostream #1 into submission queue SQ #1, the host 2 notifies thecontroller 4 that one or more new write commands are stored insubmission queue SQ #1 (doorbell). In this case, the host 2 updates adoorbell register corresponding to submission queue SQ #1 in thecontroller 4 with the new value of an entrance pointer corresponding tosubmission queue SQ #1. When this notification (doorbell) is received,the command parser 21A checks the content (data length) of one or morenew write commands in submission queue SQ #1 in a state where each writecommand is left in submission queue SQ #1. Unless the value of a nextpointer corresponding to submission queue SQ #1 is advanced, thesubmission queue entry in which each write command is stored is notreleased. When the command parser 21A does not update the value of anext pointer corresponding to submission queue SQ #1, the command parser21A is capable of checking the content (data length) of one or more newwrite commands in submission queue SQ #1 in a state where each writecommand is left in submission queue SQ #1.

The SQ/total size management table 32 is updated such that the totalsize of the current write data corresponding to submission queue SQ #1is increased only by the sum of the data lengths specified by one ormore new write commands.

When write commands W1 to W5 are accumulated in submission queue SQ #1by the host 2, and the sum (total size) of the data lengths specified bywrite commands W1 to W5 is greater than or equal to the minimum writesize (for example, 32 kilobytes), the write control unit 21 starts awrite process corresponding to a set of write commands W1 to W5.

In this case, the command parser 21A fetches write commands W1 to W5from submission queue SQ #1. Each of fetched write commands W1 to W5includes a data pointer indicative of the location in the memory of thehost 2 in which corresponding write data is stored. The flash writesequencer 21B transfers write data corresponding to the set of writecommands W1 to W5 from the write buffer in the memory of the host 2 tothe internal buffer 16, using the DMAC 15. The write data transferred tothe internal buffer 16 has the minimum write size. The flash writesequencer 21B transfers the write data transferred to the internalbuffer 16 to the NAND flash memory 5, and writes the write data intowrite destination block BLK10 allocated for stream #1.

After the write of write data into write destination block BLK10 iscompleted, the flash write sequencer 21B returns completion responses C1to C5 corresponding to write commands W1 to W5, respectively, to thehost 2. These completion responses C1 to C5 are placed in completionqueue CQ #1 in the memory of the host 2 by the controller 4.

Completion queue CQ #1 may be also realized by a circular buffer(circular queue). Completion queue CQ #1 is also controlled by twopointers (a next pointer and an entrance pointer). Each completion queueentry in completion queue CQ #1 includes a region in which a submissionqueue next pointer (submission queue head pointer) is stored. Such thata submission queue next pointer corresponding to submission queue SQ #1is indicative of the next entry of write command W5, the command parser21A updates the submission queue next pointer. Each of completionresponses C1 to C5 including the value of the updated submission queuenext pointer is placed in completion queue CQ #1. In this way, the host2 is allowed to be notified of the last fetched submission queue entry.

FIG. 9 illustrates the relationship between memory resources in the host2 and memory resources in the SSD 3.

Each write command includes a command ID, a stream ID, a length, alogical block address (LBA), a data pointer, etc. The command ID is anidentifier for identifying the write command. The stream ID is theidentifier of the stream associated with the write command. The lengthis indicative of the length of the write data associated with the writecommand. The LBA is indicative of the starting logical address intowhich the write data associated with the write command should bewritten. The data pointer is indicative of the location in the writebuffer 51 of the memory of the host 2 in which the write data associatedwith the write command is stored.

Now, it is assumed that write commands W1 to W5 are stored in submissionqueue SQ #1. The data pointer in write command W1 is indicative of thelocation in the write buffer 51 in which write data D1 associated withwrite command W1 is present. The data pointer in write command W2 isindicative of the location in the write buffer 51 in which write data D2associated with write command W2 is present. Similarly, the data pointerin write command W5 is indicative of the location in the write buffer 51in which write data D5 associated with write command W5 is present.

Thus, each command includes various types of information. In the SSD 3allowed to simultaneously use a large number of streams, if aconfiguration in which, every time one or more write commands are placedin a submission queue, these write commands are fetched from thesubmission queue, is employed, large-capacity memory resources capableof storing a large number of write commands in wait for write need to beprepared in the SSD 3.

In the present embodiment, a plurality of dedicated submission queuescorresponding to a plurality of streams, respectively, are allocated inthe memory of the host 2. Until write commands for the minimum writesize are accumulated in a submission queue, a write command is notfetched from any submission queue. When write commands for the minimumwrite size are accumulated in a submission queue, these write commandsare fetched, and write data is transferred, and a flash write operationis performed. Thus, there is no need to store a large number of writecommands in wait for write in the SSD 3.

In addition, as write commands corresponding to different streams arenot present in the same submission queue, it is possible to prevent asituation (blocking) in which write commands corresponding to a streamhaving a large amount of write data cannot be fetched from thesubmission queue by write commands in wait for write corresponding toanother stream having a small amount of write data.

Furthermore, as write data having the minimum write size is transferredfrom the write buffer 51 in the host memory to the internal buffer 16,it is possible to immediately start to write the write data having theminimum write size and transferred to the internal buffer 16 into awrite destination block. Thus, the internal buffer 16 can be shared by aplurality of streams. Even when the number of streams to be supported bythe SSD 3 is increased, a stream write operation can be effectivelyperformed by merely preparing only the internal buffer 16 having theminimum write size.

FIG. 10 illustrates a plurality of submission queues allocated in thememory of the host 2 for storing a plurality of types of write commandscorresponding to a plurality of streams.

In the present embodiment, only each write command corresponding tostream #1 is placed in submission queue SQ #1 dedicated to stream #1 bythe host 2. The host 2 does not place any read command in submissionqueue SQ #1. Only each write command corresponding to stream #2 isplaced in submission queue SQ #2 dedicated to stream #2 by the host 2.The host 2 does not place any read command in submission queue SQ #2.Similarly, only each write command corresponding to stream #n is placedin submission queue SQ #n dedicated to stream #n by the host 2. The host2 does not place any read command in submission queue SQ #n.

This configuration prevents a situation (blocking) in which a readcommand cannot be fetched from a submission queue by a write commandstored in the submission queue and waiting for write.

Read commands are placed in submission queues SQ #n+1 and SQ #n+2different from submission queues SQ #1 to SQ #n by the host 2. FIG. 10illustrates a case where read commands R1 and R2 are placed insubmission queue SQ #n+1 by the host 2, and read commands R11 and R12are placed in submission queue SQ #n+2 by the host 2. Each of readcommands R1, R2, R11 and R12 may be a read command which requests toread data stored in an active block or a read command which requests toread data written in a block currently opened as a write destinationblock.

FIG. 11 illustrates the state transition of a submission queue and thestate transition of a completion queue.

The upper part of FIG. 11 illustrates the state transition of asubmission queue. Here, the state transition of a submission queue isexplained by illustrating submission queue SQ #1. State S1 is a statewaiting for accumulation of write commands for the minimum write size insubmission queue SQ #1. In state S1, for example, only write commands W1and W2 are stored in submission queue SQ #1. The sum of the data lengthspecified by write command W1 and the data length specified by writecommand W2 is less than the minimum write size. Thus, write commands W1and W2 are write commands in wait for write. An accepted pointer is apointer internally managed by the controller 4 and is indicative of thelast fetched submission queue entry.

When subsequent write commands W3 to W5 are placed in submission queueSQ #1 by the host, and the sum of the data lengths specified by writecommands W1 to W5 is greater than or equal to the minimum write size,the state of submission queue SQ #1 transitions to state S2. State S2 isa state where a write process corresponding to a set of write commandsW1 to W5 can be started. The controller 4 fetches write commands W1 toW5 from submission queue SQ #1. In this way, the state of submissionqueue SQ #1 transitions to state S3.

State S3 is a state where a write process corresponding to the set ofwrite commands W1 to W5 is in process. Since write commands W1 to W5 arefetched, the value of the accepted pointer is updated such that thevalue is indicative of the entry in which write command W5 is stored.The controller 4 transfer the write data having the minimum write sizeand associated with the set of write commands W1 to W5 from the writebuffer 51 of the host 2 to the internal buffer 16 and writes the writedata into write destination block BLK10.

Subsequent write command W6 corresponding to stream #1 is placed in theentry of submission queue SQ #1 indicated by the entrance pointer.Subsequently, the value of the entrance pointer is advanced by one.

When the write process of the write data associated with the set ofwrite commands W1 to W5 is completed, the state of submission queue SQ#1 transitions to state S4. In state S4, the value of the next pointeris updated such that the value is indicative of the entry in which writecommand W6 is stored.

The lower part of FIG. 11 illustrates the state transition of acompletion queue. Here, the state transition of a completion queue isexplained by illustrating completion queue CQ #1. State S11 is a statewaiting for the controller 4 to place a new completion response incompletion queue CQ #1. Completion responses Cx and Cy stored incompletion queue CQ #1 are indicative of completion responses which havenot been processed by the host 2 yet. State S12 is indicative of a statewhere new completion responses C1 to C5 corresponding to write commandsW1 to W5 are placed in completion queue CQ #1 by the controller 4. Whennew completion replies C1 to C5 are placed in completion queue CQ #1,the value of an entrance pointer corresponding to completion queue CQ #1is updated by the controller 4 such that the value is indicative of thenext entry of completion response C5. When completion responses Cx, Cyand C1 to C5 are processed by the host 2, the state of completion queueCQ #1 transitions to state S13. State S13 is a state where completionqueue CQ #1 is free, and the value of an entrance pointer correspondingto completion queue CQ #1 is updated by the host 2 such that the valueis indicative of the same entry as the next pointer.

FIG. 12 illustrates the configuration examples of the host 2 and the SSD3 with regard to data write.

In the host 2, each write command corresponding to the write data to beassociated with stream #1 is placed in submission queue SQ #1 dedicatedto stream #1. Each write command corresponding to the write data to beassociated with stream #2 is placed in submission queue SQ #2 dedicatedto stream #2. Each write command corresponding to the write data to beassociated with stream #n is placed in submission queue SQ #n dedicatedto stream #n.

Each write command includes the LBA of write data, the length of thewrite data, a stream ID, the data pointer indicative of the location inthe write buffer 51 in which the write data is stored. A completionresponse indicative of the completion of each write command is placed incompletion queue CQ #1 shared by submission queues SQ #1 to SQ #n by thecontroller 4. Completion queues CQ #1 to CQ #n corresponding tosubmission queues SQ #1 to SQ #n, respectively, may be allocated in thememory of the host 2.

The write data associated with each write command is stored in the writebuffer 51 in the host memory. In the write buffer 51, a plurality ofregions corresponding to streams #1 to #n may be allocated. In thiscase, the write data associated with stream #1 is stored in a regioncorresponding to stream #1 in the write buffer 51. The write dataassociated with stream #2 is stored in a region corresponding to stream#2 in the write buffer 51. The write data associated with stream #n isstored in a region corresponding to stream #n in the write buffer 51.

In the SSD 3, the write control unit 21 checks the total size indicativeof the sum of the data lengths specified by the write commands stored insubmission queue SQ #1, the total size indicative of the data lengthsspecified by the write commands stored in submission queue SQ #2 and thetotal size indicative of the sum of the data lengths specified by thewrite commands stored in submission queue SQ #n, and updates theSQ/total size management table 32 based on the result of the check.

For example, when the write control unit 21 receives a notificationindicative that one or more new write commands are stored in submissionqueue SQ #1 from the host 2, the write control unit 21 checks the totalsize indicative of the sum of the data lengths specified by the writecommands currently stored in submission queue SQ #1, and changes thevalue of a total size corresponding to the queue ID of submission queueSQ #1. In this case, the write control unit 21 may check only the datalengths specified by one or more commands newly placed in submissionqueue SQ #1 and change the value of a total size corresponding to thequeue ID of submission queue SQ #1 such that a current total sizecorresponding to submission queue SQ #1 is increased by only the sum ofthe data lengths specified by one or more new write commands.

Similarly, when the write control unit 21 receives a notificationindicative that one or more new write commands are stored in submissionqueue SQ #2 from the host 2, the write control unit 21 checks the totalsize indicative of the sum of the data lengths specified by the writecommands currently stored in submission queue SQ #2, and changes thevalue of a total size corresponding to the queue ID of submission queueSQ #2. In this case, the write control unit 21 may check only the datalengths specified by one or more commands newly placed in submissionqueue SQ #2 and change the value of a total size corresponding to thequeue ID of submission queue SQ #2 such that a current total sizecorresponding to submission queue SQ #2 is increased by only the sum ofthe data lengths specified by one or more new write commands.

When the total size of write data corresponding to a set of writecommands stored in a submission queue is greater than or equal to theminimum write size, the write control unit 21 fetches these writecommands from the submission queue. The write control unit 21 transmits,to the DMAC 15, a transfer request to transfer the write data associatedwith the set of write commands and having the minimum write size fromthe write buffer 51 in the host memory to the internal buffer 16. Whenthe DMAC 15 receives the transfer request, the DMAC 15 transfers thewrite data having the minimum write size from the write buffer 51 in thehost memory to the internal buffer 16 by performing DMA transfer. Thewrite control unit 21 issues a program instruction (write instruction)to the NAND interface 13 and writes the write data transferred to theinternal buffer 16 and having the minimum write size into a writedestination block in the NAND flash memory 5.

After the write of the write data having the minimum write size into thewrite destination block is completed, the write control unit 21 returnsresponses each indicative of the completion of each write command to thehost 2. The responses each indicative of the completion of each writecommand are placed in completion queue CQ #1 by the write control unit21.

FIG. 13 illustrates each message exchanged between the host 2 and theSSD 3.

FIG. 13 illustrates a case where submission queues SQ #1 to SQ #3corresponding to streams #1 to #3 and the write buffer 51 are allocatedto the host memory.

(1) Doorbell: When the host 2 places one or more write commandscorresponding to stream #1 in submission queue SQ #1, the host 2 updatesthe value of a doorbell register in the controller 4 corresponding tosubmission queue SQ #1 with a new value of an entrance pointercorresponding to submission queue SQ #1, thereby notifying the SSD 3that one or more write commands are placed in submission queue SQ #1.The difference between the previous value of the doorbell register andthe new value is indicative of the number of new write commands placedin submission queue SQ #1. When the host 2 places one or more writecommands corresponding to stream #2 in submission queue SQ #2, the host2 updates the value of a doorbell register in the controller 4corresponding to submission queue SQ #2 with a new value of an entrancepointer corresponding to submission queue SQ #2, thereby notifying theSSD 3 that one or more write commands are placed in submission queue SQ#2. When the host 2 places one or more write commands corresponding tostream #3 in submission queue SQ #3, the host 2 updates the value of adoorbell register in the controller 4 corresponding to submission queueSQ #3 with a new value of an entrance pointer corresponding tosubmission queue SQ #3, thereby notifying the SSD 3 that one or morewrite commands are placed in submission queue SQ #3.

(2) Prefetch: The write control unit 21 of the controller 4 of the SSD 3checks the total size of write data corresponding to a set of writecommands stored in each submission queue by checking the content of eachsubmission queue in a state where each write command is left in each ofsubmission queues SQ #1 to SQ #3. For example, when the write controlunit 21 receives a notification indicative that one or more writecommands are placed in submission queue SQ #1 from the host 2, the writecontrol unit 21 checks the data length specified by each new writecommand stored in submission queue SQ #1 in the host memory, and updatesa total size corresponding to submission queue SQ #1 such that a totalsize corresponding to submission queue SQ #1 is increased by only thesum of the data lengths specified by the new write commands. Similarly,when the write control unit 21 receives a notification indicative thatone or more write commands are placed in submission queue SQ #2 from thehost 2, the write control unit 21 checks the data length specified byeach new write command stored in submission queue SQ #2 in the hostmemory, and updates a total size corresponding to submission queue SQ #2such that a total size corresponding to submission queue SQ #2 isincreased by only the sum of the data lengths specified by the new writecommands. When a total size corresponding to a certain submission queueis greater than or equal to the minimum write size, a write processcorresponding to a set of write commands stored in this submission queuecan be started.

(3) Fetch: When a write process corresponding to a set of write commandsstored in a certain submission queue can be started, the write controlunit 21 fetches the set of write commands stored in this submissionqueue.

(4) Transfer request: The write control unit 21 transmits, to the DMAC15, a transfer request to obtain write data corresponding to the fetchedset of write commands from the write buffer 51 of the host 2.

(5) (6): The DMAC 15 transfers write data having the minimum write sizefrom the write buffer 51 in the host memory to the internal buffer 16 byperforming DMA transfer.

(7) Write instruction: The write control unit 21 issues a programinstruction (write instruction) to the NAND interface 13 and writes thewrite data transferred to the internal buffer 16 and having the minimumwrite size into a write destination block in the NAND flash memory 5.

(8) Completion response: The write control unit 21 returns completionresponses corresponding to fetched write commands to the host 2.

The flowchart of FIG. 14 illustrates the procedure of a write processperformed in the SSD 3.

Here, it is assumed that write destination blocks BLK10 to BLK 100corresponding to streams #1 to #n have been already allocated by thecontroller 4.

The controller 4 checks the size (total size) of write datacorresponding to a set of write commands stored in each of submissionqueues SQ #1 to SQ #n corresponding to streams #1 to #n (step S21). Instep S21, the controller 4 compares the size (total size) of write datacorresponding to each of submission queues SQ #1 to SQ #n with theminimum write size, thereby detecting a submission queue in which thetotal size reaches the minimum write size of the NAND flash memory 5.Thus, in step S21, the controller 4 determines, for each of submissionqueues SQ #1 to SQ #n. Whether or not the total size reaches the minimumwrite size.

When the controller 4 detects a submission queue in which the total sizereaches the minimum write size (YES in step S22), the controller 4fetches a set of write commands in which the total size is greater thanor equal to the minimum write size from the detected submission queue(step S23). The controller 4 transfers the write data associated withthe set of write commands and having the minimum write size from thewrite buffer 51 of the host 2 to the internal buffer 16 of thecontroller 4, based on the data length and the data pointer which arespecified by each of the write commands (step S24).

The controller 4 writes the write data transferred to the internalbuffer 16 and having the minimum write size into a write destinationblock allocated for a stream corresponding to the detected submissionqueue (step S25). After the write of the write data into the writedestination block is completed, the controller 4 returns a set ofcommand completion responses corresponding to the set of write commandsto the host 2 such that a set of command completion responsescorresponding to the set of write commands is placed in a completionqueue corresponding to the detected submission queue (step S26). Thecontroller 4 may return a set of command completion responsecorresponding to the set of write commands to the host 2 after thecompletion of the transfer of the write data for the minimum write sizefrom the write buffer 51 to the internal buffer 16.

The flowchart of FIG. 15 illustrates the procedure of a processperformed in the host 2.

The host 2 is realized as an information processing apparatus includinga processor (CPU) and a memory. The processor allocates submissionqueues SQ #1 to SQ #n dedicated to streams #1 to #n in the memory. Theprocessor specifies a stream corresponding to the write command to beissued to the SSD 3 and places the write command in the submission queuededicated to the specified stream.

In other words, the processor firstly determines whether or not thewrite command to be issued to the SSD 3 is a write command correspondingto the write data to be associated with stream #1 (step S31). When thewrite command to be issued to the SSD 3 is a write command correspondingto the write data to be associated with stream #1 (YES in step S31), theprocessor places the write command in submission queue SQ #1corresponding to stream #1 (step S32), and further stores the write dataassociated with the write command in the write buffer 51 in the hostmemory (step S33).

When the write command to be issued to the SSD 3 is not a write commandcorresponding to the write data to be associated with stream #1 (NO instep S31), the processor determines whether or not the write command tobe issued to the SSD 3 is a write command corresponding to the writedata to be associated with stream #2 (step S34).

When the write command to be issued to the SSD 3 is a write commandcorresponding to the write data to be associated with stream #2 (YES instep S34), the processor places the write command in submission queue SQ#2 corresponding to stream #2 (step S35), and further stores the writedata associated with the write command in the write buffer 51 in thehost memory (step S36).

When the write command to be issued to the SSD 3 is not a write commandcorresponding to the write data to be associated with stream #2 (NO instep S34), the processor determines whether or not the write command tobe issued to the SSD 3 is a write command corresponding to the writedata to be associated with stream #n (step S37).

When the write command to be issued to the SSD 3 is a write commandcorresponding to the write data to be associated with stream #n (YES instep S37), the processor places the write command in submission queue SQ#n corresponding to stream #n (step S38), and further stores the writedata associated with the write command in the write buffer 51 in thehost memory (step S39).

The processor places each read command to be issued to the SSD 3 in oneor more submission queues different from submission queues SQ #1 to SQ#n such that the read commands are not stored in any of submissionqueues SQ #1 to SQ #n.

As explained above, according to the present embodiment, a plurality ofdedicated submission queues corresponding to a plurality of streams,respectively, are allocated in the memory of the host 2. Until writecommands for the minimum write size are accumulated in a submissionqueue, a write command is not fetched from any submission queue. Whenwrite commands for the minimum write size are accumulated in asubmission queue, these write commands are fetched, and write data istransferred, and a flash write operation is performed. Thus, there is noneed to store a large number of write commands in wait for write in theSSD 3, thereby reducing the memory resources to be prepared in the SSD3. Furthermore, as write data for the minimum write size are transferredfrom the write buffer 51 in the host memory to the internal buffer 16,it is possible to immediately start to write the write data transferredto the internal buffer 16 and having the minimum write size into a writedestination block. Thus, the internal buffer 16 can be shared by aplurality of streams. Even when the number of streams to be supported bythe SSD 3 is increased, a stream write operation can be effectivelyperformed by merely preparing only the internal buffer 16 having theminimum write size.

It is possible to reduce the size of the memory resources to be providedin the SSD 3 in comparison with a configuration in which, every time oneor more write commands are placed in a submission queue by the host 2,the write commands are fetched, and write data corresponding to thewrite commands is transferred.

In the present embodiment, a NAND flash memory is exemplarily shown as anonvolatile memory. However, the function of the present embodiment isalso applicable to other various nonvolatile memories such as amagnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM), a phase-change randomaccess memory (PRAM), a resistive random access memory (ReRAM) and aferroelectric random access memory (FeRAM).

While certain embodiments have been described, these embodiments havebeen presented by way of example only, and are not intended to limit thescope of the inventions. Indeed, the novel embodiments described hereinmay be embodied in a variety of other forms; furthermore, variousomissions, substitutions and changes in the form of the embodimentsdescribed herein may be made without departing from the spirit of theinventions. The accompanying claims and their equivalents are intendedto cover such forms or modifications as would fall within the scope andspirit of the inventions.

1-13. (canceled)
 14. A memory system connectable to a host, comprising:a nonvolatile memory including a plurality of blocks; and a controllerelectrically connected to the nonvolatile memory and configured tocontrol the nonvolatile memory, wherein the controller is configured to:check a first total size indicative of a sum of data lengths specifiedby first write commands, the first write commands being associated witha first stream and stored in a first submission queue of the hostcorresponding to the first stream; and wait until the first total sizebecomes greater than or equal to a minimum write size of the nonvolatilememory, fetch, when the first total size becomes greater than or equalto the minimum write size, a set of the first write commands stored inthe first submission queue, transfer first write data having the minimumwrite size and associated with the set of the first write commands froma write buffer in a memory of the host to a first buffer in the memorysystem, and write the first write data into a first write destinationblock which is allocated for the first stream from the blocks.
 15. Thememory system of claim 14, wherein the controller is configured to checkthe first total size by checking content of the first submission queuein a state that each of the first write commands is left in the firstsubmission queue.
 16. The memory system of claim 14, wherein thecontroller is configured to update management information for managing acorrespondence relationship between a first identifier for identifyingthe first submission queues and the first total sizes, based on a resultof the check.
 17. The memory system of claim 14, wherein the controlleris configured to check the first total size when a notificationindicative that one or more new write commands are stored in the firstsubmission queue is received from the host.
 18. The memory system ofclaim 14, wherein the controller is configured to: after the transfer ofthe first write data from the write buffer to the first buffer iscompleted, or after the write of the first write data into the firstwrite destination block is completed, return a set of command completionreplies corresponding to the set of the first write commands to thehost.
 19. The memory system of claim 14, wherein the first submissionqueue is not used to store a read command for reading data from thenonvolatile memory.
 20. The memory system of claim 14, wherein the firstsubmission queue is allocated in the memory of the host to store eachwrite command corresponding to write data to be associated with thefirst stream.
 21. A method of controlling a memory system including anonvolatile memory including a plurality of blocks, the methodcomprising: checking a first total size indicative of a sum of datalengths specified by first write commands, the first write commandsbeing associated with a first stream and stored in a first submissionqueue of a host corresponding to the first stream; and waiting until thefirst total size becomes greater than or equal to a minimum write sizeof the nonvolatile memory, fetching, when the first total size becomesgreater than or equal to the minimum write size, a set of the firstwrite commands stored in the first submission queue, transferring firstwrite data having the minimum write size and associated with the set ofthe first write commands from a write buffer in a memory of the host toa first buffer in the memory system, and writing the first write datainto a first write destination block which is allocated for the firststream from the blocks.
 22. The method of claim 21, wherein the checkingincludes checking the first total size by checking content of the firstsubmission queue in a state where each of the first write commands isleft in the first submission queue.
 23. The method of claim 21, furthercomprising: updating management information for managing acorrespondence relationship between a first queue identifier foridentifying the first submission queue and the first total sizes, basedon a result of the checking.
 24. The method of claim 21, wherein thechecking includes: checking the first total size when a notificationindicative that one or more new write commands are stored in the firstsubmission queue is received from the host.
 25. The method of claim 21,further comprising: after the transfer of the first write data from thewrite buffer to the first buffer is completed, or after the write of thefirst write data into the first write destination block is completed,returning a set of command completion responses corresponding to the setof the first write commands to the host.
 26. The method of claim 21,wherein the first submission queue is allocated in the memory of thehost to store each write command corresponding to write data to beassociated with the first stream.